Born in 1969 (Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain).
She is currently a Spanish Dance teacher at the “Conservatori Professional de Dansa” of the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona.
Artistic training
Rosa García and Enrique Burgos were her first professors in Barcelona.
Gets the degree by the "Royal Conservatory of Dance Mariemma" of Madrid. Master studies of the Concert Castanets Method by Emma Maleras.
In Madrid she enhances her knowledge and studies with well known teachers as Merche Esmeralda, Ciro, Betty, “La Tati”, Carmela Greco, Paco Fernández, Mercedes and Albano.
"Outstanding Dancer Award'' at the "IX Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreographic Contest" in Madrid, with the choreography "Custom" by Juan Carlos Lérida. Also winner of the 2nd Prize for choreography.
In 2015 she obtained the Higher Degree in Dance Pedagogy, at the "Conservatori Superior de Dansa" of the Institut del Teatre, in Barcelona.
Artistic life
From 1992 to 1995 she dances in the Ballet Teatro Español de Rafael Aguilar being the solo dancer playing Bernarda Alba in Rango, adaptation of "La casa de Bernarda Alba" by F.G. Lorca.
In March 1992 is her debut in this company, performing at the Teatro Lírico Nacional de la Zarzuela in Madrid, with the Ópera Carmen de Bizet, staged by Pier Luigi Pizzi, conductor Ros Marbà and the singers María Bayo and Teresa Berganza.
In April 1992 she begins a tour across Japan with the premiere of Rafael Aguilar's “Carmen” at the Shinjuku Bunka Center Tókio. On October 25th of the same year they present it at the Palais de Sports in Paris, following the tour of France, Monaco, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Mexico, England, Italy, Austria and Germany.
In 1996 she collaborates as a dancer and castanet solo with the harp duo of the Symphony of Euskadi, Gioccarpa, performing throughout France.
In January 1998 she performes at the presentation of the Ágata Ruíz de la Prada collection paying homage to Eduardo Chillida at the Museum Würth in Stuttgart.
Since 1999 she is a partner of the great castanet player José de Udaeta as a dancer and concert player, together with the pianist Marina Rodríguez in the show “El Secreto de la Castañuela”, premiered at the “Ludwigsburger Schlssespiele” in Stuttgart. In 2002 they present “Capricho español” at the same theater. Some of their performances were at Aalto Theater Essen, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Teatro Líbero de Palermo, Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro Principal de Burgos, Palau de la Música de Valencia, Expo de Hannover 2000, Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, and the Festival de Flamenco de Jerez 2004 obtaining the "Critics Award".
Since 1999 she is an artistic member of the 2D1 Company, directed by Juan Carlos Lérida, and she enters the most contemporary side of flamenco. They perform, among others, in the Cycle "En Danza", at the Sala Imperdible in Seville (April 2002), the Espai Theater in Barcelona and the 2002 Sitges Theater Festival. The same year she records the TV show “El Secreto de la castañuela” for Televisió de Catalunya, director Toni Margalló.
She is the guest artist in the production of the play “Lorca” (Catarina Mora Productions, Stuttgart) at the Düsseldorf Flamenco Festival (2002) and at the Karls Kaserne in Ludwigsburger.
Solo dancer in the Madrid company "Talent Danza", directed by Antonio Najarro and Pascal Gaona, acting as a guest company at the: "Madrid Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreographic Contest" 2002, at the "Círculo de Bellas Artes" in Madrid and at the Theater of Bayona (France).
In 2003, the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona asks her to present the book dedicated to Emma Maleras "Castanets: the greatness of a small instrument", by Andreu Carandell. In May, she premieres as director, choreographer and dancer, her first dance-theater show “Flowering Time”, at the “Tafenhalle” in Nürnberg with original music by Andreas María Germek, following a tour in Germany and Austria.
In 2004 she creates, together with the pianist Marina Rodríguez and the cellist Ana Mora, the show "Naked Soul" (classical for castanets) performing at the Auditori Pau Casals in Vendrell within the 2004 Suzuki Method Cellist Congress, Vilanova Principal Theater i la Geltrú, Principal Theater of Burgos, Metropol Theater of Tarragona, School of Music of Sant Cugat del Vallés, Cloister of Sant Cugat, Cervantes Institute of Madrid, among others.
In 2006, together with the guitarist Andreas María Germek, she creates the show “Contemporary Castanets”, performing at the Vienna Musikverain and at the Jerez Festival, Madeira Music Festival, Cammer Musik Villach, Internationale Gesellschaft für Künstlerisches Kastagnettenspiel IGKK, Stuttgart, Instituto Cervantes in Vienna, Austria, Teatre Principal de Vilanova i la Geltrú, among others.
In March 2011 she performs at the Musikverain in Vienna, with the Tonkünstleroschester, directed by Andrés Orozco, with the orchestral adaptation of “Flowering Time''. That year, she also premieres the show "Ivory Birds" together with the pianist Marina Rodríguez, with the artistic advice of Juan Carlos Lérida. They present it at the Teatre Principal in Vilanova i la Geltrú and at the Düsseldorf Flamenco Festival, among others.
Guest artist at the great GMMF 2014 Classical Music Festival in South Korea, led by the great cellist Lluís Claret.
In 2015, together with the pianist Marina Rodríguez, they present “Large and small percussion: piano and castanets”, within the 8th cycle of “Museum’s Music”, a commented concert with original instruments from the Barcelona Music Museum.
In 2017 she was invited to perform with the choir and the orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania (Italy) directed by the maestro Miquel Ortega.
Performance in South Korea within the Winter Festival (2018). Chamber Music & Dance Gala Program, within the cultural events of PyeongChang, Winter Olympics, at the Seoul Arts Center and at the Gangneung Arts Center.
In 2019, she promotes and participates in the Tribute to the castanet performers José de Udaeta and Emma Maleras at the MAE (Museu de les Arts Escèniques) at the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona. The same year, she collaborates with the guitar duet Sea Duet at the Liceu Music School in Barcelona. In April, she is invited, together with Marina Rodríguez, to perform at the opening ceremony of the José de Udaeta Passage in Sant Pere de Ribes. Later, in July 2020, she participates in the museum’s project and interpretation center in the city’s Castle, with some rooms dedicated to the great dancer and concert performer.
In August 2020 she presents her new show linking dance and castanets with a new style, “Jazztanets”, with the composer and pianist Elisabet Raspall at the Auditori Eduard Toldrà in Vilanova i la Geltrú, and they participate in the MMVV of Vic.
In September 2020, she performs with the show "Big and small percussion" in the second edition of the “Woman Festival Art” organized by the Casino Prado in Sitges.
She also collaborates in the show “The Gallery” by the young creator and dancer José Maldonado with a creation of castanets for the Jerez Festival in 2021.
Collaborations
1997
She takes part as a dancer in the Cia Flamenca de Carmen Luque in Sabadell, winning the First Prize of the IV Choreographic Contest of Spanish Dance and Flamenco ”in Madrid.
The same year he participates in the recording of the album "Tanganera", by Víctor Valls, as a feet and castanets percussionist, at the Sala Luz de Gas in Barcelona.
It is later played at the Teatre Artenbrut in Barcelona, at the “I Festival of Catalan Poetry” at the Sant Cugat Cultural Center, directed by Lluís Homar and with the collaboration of Santi Arisa, Àlex Santasusana and Marta Pessarrodona. Later, he also participated in the "I Recital of Iberian Poetry" at the Cultural Center of the La Caixa de Granollers Foundation directed by Oscar Molina.
2002
Guest artist at the celebration of "50 Years of Music with the pianist Nora Milà", along with Pere Tàpies and Toni Albà, among others.
Show “Dancing the Word” by Lauren Postigo acting as the lead dancer with Lola Greco at the Madrid Theater, directed by Juan Carlos Lérida.
2003
Guest artist in the show “60 Years in Scene” with José de Udaeta and Montserrat Caballé, among others, at the Auditori Nacional de Ordino, Andorra.
2004
Belén takes part in the “Schubertiade” with three performances dedicated to the musician Schubert at the Naturpark Öewersauer in Luxembourg with the soprano Rachel Lynn Bowman and the guitarist Andreas M. Germek.
2005
Participation in the cycle "Contemporanis a la Barceloneta" with the piece of her own creation "Only flowers over you" with original music by Santi Montoto.
Collaborations with the Formació de Cambra Almodis, directed by Joan Carles Martínez:
Bicentennial of the death of Luigi Boccherini in the House of Culture of Girona.
Show "Music and Dance in the Royal Court" at Teatre Metropol de Tarragona.
XXVIII International Music Festival of Begur.
Main Theater of the Burgos Philharmonic Society.
The Philharmonic Theater of the Philharmonic Society of Oviedo.
Avila box to commemorate the bicentennial of Luigi Boccherini's death.
Performance at the Instituto Cervantes in Athens, Greece.
2008
Collaborates with the guitar quartet Barcelona Guitar Quartet with the show
“Red Rojo” in Caixa Madrid Auditorium in Barcelona and in the 9th Sabadell Music Festival.
Collaborates in the "Tanz ist" Flamenc Festival in Dornbirn, Àustria, together with the dancer Iván Góngora, Carmen Fernández on singing, Andreas M.Germek on the guitar and José de Mode on percussion.
2009
Participation in the show "Flamenco Differences" at the Flamenco Festival "Tanz ist" in Dornbirn, Àustria.
Performances with the Barcelona Guitar Quartet musical group in a show dedicated to Maestro Albéniz, “Isaac Albéniz and his time”. It is performed in the “37th Festival de Música d’Estiu” in Menorca and at the XXIV Isaac Albéniz Festival at the Monastery of Sant Pere, Camprodon.
2010
Performance at the Sant Ignasi-Sarrià School at the “Remembering José de Udaeta” evening.
Participation in the Flamenco Ciutat Vella within the “Empirical Flamenco” proposal.
Performance at the XV Pazaislio Muzikos Festivalis in Lituània with the adaptation of "Flowering Time'' for orchestra, together with Andreas María Germek as guitarist and composer, Carmen Fernández on singing and José de Mode on percussion.
Performance at the Carinthischer Sommer of Vienna with Flamenco Elementar accompanied on guitar by Andreas M. Germek and the dancer Ivan Góngora.
Several performances at the Flamenco Colors Festival in the Spielboden hall, Dornbirn, Àustria.
Performance for the Hispano-German Society at the Monrepos Palace in Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, with the guitarist Andreas María Germek.
2011
Performances at the X Tanz ist Festival für Flamencokunst in the Spielboden hall, Dornbirn, Austria, together with Andreas Maria Germek as guitarist and composer, the dancer Carlos Chamorro, Carmen Fernández on singing and José de Mode on percussion.
Show-Concert of castanets, dance and music in the evenings at “Music Paper” at Capellades, together with Marina Rodríguez at the piano.
Concert of castanets and dance, with the guitarist Andreas Maria Germek and the pianist Marina Rodríguez Brià at the Summer Festival in Grafenegg, Austria.
2012
Presentation of the show “Flamenco Elementar” with guitarist A.M.Germek, bailaor Nacho Blanco, Carmen Fernández on singing and José de Mode on percussion, at the Festival: Kultur Sommer in St Georgen, Austria.
Participation in the “Tanz ist Flamencokunst” Festival in Dornbirn, Austria, together with the dancers Juan Carlos Lérida and Juan Mateos.
2013
Participation in the Tribute to Maestro Joan Magrinyà at the Teatre Principal de Vilanova i la Geltrú.
2014
Presentation of the show “Musique et danse à la Cour Espagnole” with works by Bocherinni and Vivaldi, together with the guitarist and musical director J.Carles Martínez and the “Angelo” string quartet at the Teatre de Ceret (France).
2015
Performance at the Ciutat Flamenco Festival, Mercat de les flors, in Barcelona with the work "Bodas de Sangre", with the Orquestra del Taller de Músics, together with Eli González and Nacho Blanco, director Enric Palomar.
2016
Performance with the Camerata Eduard Toldrà, together with the guitarist and composer Juan Carles Martínez, under the direction of the Orchestra Master Xavier Pagès. Eduard Toldrà Auditorium in Vilanova i la Geltrú.
Together with A.M.Germek, as solo guitarist and composer, she plays at the Klassiknacht im Neusser Rosengarten, with the Deutsche kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein. Conductor Lavart Skou Larsen.
2017
Performance with the Württembergische Philarmonie a Stadhalle de Reutlingen, Germany, with Andreas M.Germek as solo guitarist and composer.
2018
Guest artist at the Concert Cicle Musical D'Nits, with the prestigious pianist Carme Vilà in Ciutadella of Roses.
Performance with the Salzburg Chamber Soists, with conductor Lavard Skou Larsen a l Walter-Schwarzkopf-Saal, Austria, with Andreas M.Germek as solo guitarist and composer.
Invited to dance by the prestigious guitarist Xue Fei Yang at the Arts Center Shenzen, China.
Recordings
1997
CD "Tanganera", composition by Víctor Valls, as a percussionist with feet and castanets.
2002
Recording of the show "El Secret de la Castanyola" for Catalunya Television, director Toni Margalló.
2007
Collaborates as a concert castanet player on the CDs of the Bellaterra Music collection "The great composers and children" in two CDs: Enric Granados and Isaac Albéniz.
Awards
2000
Winner of the "Outstanding Dancer" Award with the 2D1 Company (flamenco-contemporany) in the "IX Spanish and Flamenco Dance Choreographic Contest" in Madrid, with the choreography "Custom" also winner of the 2nd Choreography Prize. Choreographer: Juan Carlos Lleida.
2004
With the show "The secret of the castanet" by José de Udaeta, they won the "Critics Award" at the 8th Festival de Jerez.